The Big Tackle FAQs

The Big Tackle is open to anyone aged 8 or over. Anyone aged 8 – 17 must be accompanied at all times by an adult who is registered to participate in the event and over the age of 21.  Responsible adults must ensure that they are present at all times during the event. Each adult can be responsible for up to three 8-17-year-olds at the event.

The average walking speed of a person is about three miles an hour, so we’d anticipate it will take just under three hours to complete the route without any stops. With so many conveniently placed refreshment stops, however, we’ve allowed for a little more time on top of that to make sure you arrive back at the Rugby Club before The Six Nations kick-off at 4:40pm!

We have introduced waves to The Big Tackle and therefore we are asking everyone to select a time that they are going to arrive. The sign-in times are either 10.30am or 11am. We ask that you arrive 10 minutes before your wave time so we can get you registered in time and there will be a warm-up and safety briefing too.

Take advantage of our tiered pricing structure and book asap to secure your space at the best rate. Tickets range from £20 – £28. A child ticket is £12.

No. It is a common misconception that this is the case! However, events are expensive to run and we always want to make sure that they are affordable for our participants. With that in mind, your entry fee only covers the cost of running the event. We rely on sponsorship and fundraising to fund our patient care. Rowcroft provides specialist care and support to more than 2,500 people across South Devon each year, many of whom are going through the hardest times imaginable, and it is your fundraising and donations that really make such a difference in helping us to offer this care to our patients and families.

The Big Tackle is open to all – not just men – so please do get all your friends and family involved and sign them up!

Yes, they are as long as they are well-behaved and kept on leads. However, they won’t be allowed in the marquee due to the food.

Yes. Parts of the course will not be suitable for disabled participants, so please make a note of any medical conditions on your registration form and ensure you and your friend put the same team name on your registration form to be allocated the same start time.

Starting and finishing at Torquay Athletic Rugby Football Club (TARFC), you will travel along the coast taking in the sights of Torquay seafront, and proceed along to the harbour. Skirting around the inner marina, you will walk up towards the Imperial Hotel and enter the South West Coast Path. Coming out at Meadfoot Sea Road, the route then winds through Ilsham and Wellswood up to Babbacombe Road, where you will turn left to head back down towards the seafront. The course then runs through Fleet Walk and Union Street, taking in the bustling town centre and continuing up to Torre. Upon reaching Torre train station, the route takes a sharp left down Avenue Road and then up Crownhill Rise to the cycle path, which leads to the back drive of Rowcroft Hospice. You will then walk through the amazing grounds of the hospice and down the front drive, re-entering Avenue Road and continuing along the home stretch back to the rugby club for your well-earned pint (soft drink for our under-age walkers) and a hot pasty!

Please email [email protected] with the details that need to be changed.

Please email [email protected] with the details that need to be changed.

As long as places for The Big Tackle are still available, you can add as many members to your team as you like! You don’t have to register all your team members at the same time, you just need to make sure that you all use the same team name when you register.

Email us at [email protected] with your name and postcode along with the correct team name and we can amend this for you.

If by 5 March 2027, you’ve not received your walker pack, please call 01803 217450 or email [email protected] and we can send you a replacement.

You can download these directly from our website, where you’ll also find plenty of other information about the event.

If we have some available, we’ll always offer this support. Our collection boxes can be picked up from the hospice or your local shop – please call 01803 217450 or email [email protected] to discuss this. We’ll need details of where you are planning to take your tin/bucket. When it’s been returned to us, we can add the funds you have collected to your final total.

We’re so sorry to hear that. Please call 01803 217450 to let the team know that you won’t be attending – we hope you get better soon.

Places can be transferred until 19 February 2027.  Please email [email protected] as soon as possible with your details and the details of the friend that is taking your place.

Unfortunately, places are non-refundable but your fee will be used to help provide comfort, support and specialist care to over 2,500 patients and their loved ones across South Devon each year.

We suggest clothes and shoes/boots that are comfy when walking long distances. Given the time of year and the fact that we live in England, we recommend wearing clothes and footwear which are appropriate to the weather on the day!

Creating a fundraising page is now easier than ever! Once you have registered to the event, you will be asked to create your fundraising page. Just add your fundraising target and profile picture. You will then be given a link to your Enthuse fundraising page to share with your friends.

If you prefer, JustGiving is a popular alternative option to create a fundraising page, here are some handy tips to set up a JustGiving page:

JustGiving:

Go to www.justgiving.com

Click ‘Start Fundraising’

Confirm you’re fundraising for a charity

Log in / personalise your page

Send the cheque in to us at The Big Tackle, Rowcroft Hospice, Avenue Road, Torquay TQ2 5LS. We can then bank the cheque and allocate the funds to your final sponsorship total.

Visit www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/sponsorship; you can either pay by debit or credit card.

It is done for you automatically. As long as you have selected Rowcroft as your chosen charity, the funds will be automatically transferred into our accounts. Once your page has closed, we will calculate your final sponsorship amount and send you your official thank you letter.

Email us at [email protected] to unsubscribe, or click the link at the bottom of your last event email, but please bear in mind if you have registered to the event, we may still need to email you about some key event details.

Please email us at [email protected] to register any missing items.

Our official event photos will be posted on our Facebook page, so keep an eye out for those. You can also search for photos which have been taken by other participants by searching for the hashtag #BigTackle on social media.

If you purchase a t-shirt, there will be space for you to attach the memory plate which you will receive in your fundraising pack closer to the event. We will provide pens on the day, and we will have volunteers on hand to help you if needed.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via email at [email protected], or call us on 01803 217450.

As the event costs continue to rise, we are asking participants to help cover the cost of sending their walker packs and t-shirts. Every pound raised through the Big Tackle event supports the charity’s essential services, and your contribution helps maximise the impact of the funds raised.